Cellular apoptosis, or programmed cell death, may be initiated by a variety of different stimuli including viral infection, certain cell-culture conditions, cell-cell signaling, cytokines, etc. Elucidation of signal transduction pathways leading to apoptosis would provide valuable insight into a variety of pathogenic mechanisms. Accordingly, the ability to exogenously modulate the induction of apoptosis would yield therapeutic application for numerous clinical indications. In addition, components of such pathways would provide valuable targets for automated, cost-effective, high throughput drug screening and hence would have immediate application in domestic and international pharmaceutical and biotechnology drug development programs.
Relevant Literature
Rothe et al. (1994) Cell 78, 681-692, report the existence of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor associated proteins which co-immunoprecipitate with a TNF receptor; see also Rothe, et al., pending U.S. patent application Ser. No: 08/446,915. Roy, et al. (1995) Cell 80, 167-178 disclose the gene for a human neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein. Birnbaum et al. (1994) J Virol 68, 2521-2528 disclose an inhibitor of apoptosis (iap) gene, Op-iap from the Orgyia pseudotsugata nuclear polyhedrosis virus (OpMNPV) with sequence similarity to two other viral genes: Cp-iap derived from Cydia pomonella granulosis virus (CpGV), and iap derived from the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV). Clem and Miller (1994), in Apoptosis II: The Molecular Basis of Apoptosis in Disease, pp 89-110, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, provide a recent review of apoptosis regulation by insect viruses.